CloveCigarettesMart.com

Department of Health and Human Services	Public Health Service Food and Drug Administration
	Center for Tobacco Products 9200 Corporate Boulevard Rockville MD 20850·3229

 

TO: cust.service@clovecigarettesmart.com

FROM: Food and Drug Administration

RE: Filtered Clove Cigarettes (e.g., Bentoel Biru, Djarum Black, Djarum Black Capuccino, Djarum Black Tea, Gudang Garam Signature, Gudang Garam Signature Lights, Gudang Garam Signature Menthol, Gudang Garam Surya, and Marlboro Kretek); Mild Filtered Clove Cigarettes (e.g., Bentoel Star Mild, Djarum Black Slimz, Djarum LA Lights, Djarum LA Lights Menthol, Gudang Garam Surya Slims, Gudang Garam Surya Slims Menthol, Sampoerna A Mild, Sampoerna A Mild Menthol, Sampoerna Avolution, and Sampoerna Avolution Menthol); and Unfiltered Clove Cigarettes (e.g., Aroma Kretek, Bentoel Sajati, Djarum 76, Djarum Coklat, Dji Sam Soe Classic, Dji Sam Soe Super Premium, Gudang Garam Merah, Gudang Garam Sriwedari, Sampoerna Hijau, Saritoga SP Special, and Saritoga X.Q Special)

DATE: January 5, 201

WARNING LETTER

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reviewed your website at the Internet address http://www.clovecigarettesmart.com on October 13, 2009, and determined that your website has been offering for sale Filtered Clove Cigarettes (e.g., Bentoel Biru, Djarum Black, Djarum Black Capuccino, Djarum Black Tea, Gudang Garam Signature, Gudang Garam Signature Lights, Gudang Garam Signature Menthol, Gudang Garam Surya, and Marlboro Kretek); Mild Filtered Clove Cigarettes (e.g., Bentoel Star Mild, Djarum Black Slimz, Djarum LA Lights, Djarum LA Lights Menthol, Gudang Garam Surya Slims, Gudang Garam Surya Slims Menthol, Sampoerna A Mild, Sampoerna A Mild Menthol, Sampoerna Avolution, and Sampoerna Avolution Menthol); and Unfiltered Clove Cigarettes (e.g., Aroma Kretek, Bentoel Sajati, Djarum 76, Djarum Coklat, Dji Sam Soe Classic, Dji Sam Soe Super Premium, Gudang Garam Merah, Gudang Garam Sriwedari, Sampoerna Hijau, Saritoga SP Special, and Saritoga X.Q Special) to consumers in the United States. Under section 201(rr) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (the FFDCA), as amended by the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act (the FSPTCA), 21 U.S.C. § 321(rr), these products are tobacco products because they are made or derived from tobacco and intended for human consumption.

According to the information and materials on your website we reviewed, your products listed above are represented as cigarettes that contain an artificial or natural flavor that is a characterizing flavor of the product and, as such, are adulterated and/or misbranded. Section 907(a)(1)(A) of the FFDCA, 21 U.S.C. § 387g(a)(1)(A), provides, as part of the tobacco product standards, a "special rule for cigarettes' as follows:

[A] cigarette or any of its component parts (including the tobacco, filter, or paper) shall not contain, as a constituent (including a smoke constituent) or additive, an artificial or natural flavor (other than tobacco or menthol) or an herb or spice, including strawberry, grape, orange, clove, cinnamon, pineapple, vanilla, coconut, licorice, cocoa, chocolate, cherry, or coffee, that is a characterizing flavor of the tobacco product or tobacco smoke.

After the September 22, 2009 effective date for this provision, flavored cigarettes marketed and sold in the United States in violation of this provision are adulterated under section 902(5) of the FFDCA, 21 U.S.C. § 387b(5).

Your website represents that the above listed products are cigarettes and contain clove that is a characterizing flavor of the tobacco product.

If the products described above contain clove that is a characterizing flavor of the tobacco product, they are adulterated under section 902(5) of the FFDCA, 21 U.S.C. § 387b(5), because they are represented as cigarettes and fail to comply with the special rule for cigarettes detailed in section 907(a)(1)(A) of the FFDCA, 21 U.S.C. § 387g(a)(1)(A). If, however, they do not contain a flavor, herb, or spice that is a characterizing flavor of the tobacco products, they are misbranded under section 903(a)(1) of the FFDCA, 21 U.S.C. § 387c(a)(1), as their labeling is false and misleading because it makes the representation that the products contain clove that is a characterizing flavor of the tobacco products.

You should immediately correct this violation by ceasing the marketing and sale of your products to the United States or taking other appropriate action to bring your products into compliance with the requirements of the FFDCA. Failure to correct this violation may result in regulatory action being initiated by the FDA without further notice. These actions may include, but are not limited to, seizure and injunction.

If you are not located in the United States, please note that adulterated or misbranded tobacco products offered for importation into the United States are subject to detention and refusal of admission. We will advise the appropriate regulatory or law enforcement officials in the country from which you operate that FDA considers your products listed above to be adulterated and/or misbranded products that cannot be legally sold to consumers in the United States.

Please submit a written response to this letter within 15 working days from the date you receive this letter, describing your intent to comply with this request and explaining your plan for discontinuing the marketing and sale, or relabeling, of these tobacco products. Please direct your response to Ann Simoneau, Deputy Director, Office of Regulations (Compliance), Center for Tobacco Products, Food and Drug Administration, 9200 Corporate Boulevard, Rockville, Maryland 20850, (240) 276-4017, or send via email to FDAFlavoredCigaretteTaskForce@FDA.HHS.GOV. We remind you that only written communications are considered official.

The violations discussed in this letter do not necessarily constitute an exhaustive list. It is your responsibility to ensure that your tobacco products comply with the applicable provisions of the FFDCA, as amended by the FSPTCA, that are currently in effect.

Sincerely,

/S/

Lawrence R. Deyton, M.S.P.H., M.D.

Director, Center for Tobacco Products

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